Trolling plate



H. L. JOHNSON ET AL 2,078,179

TROLLING PLATE April 20, 1937.

Filed April 15, 1935 .mw WN QM mw mm Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,078,179 'raomne PLATE Barry L. Johnson and Warren 0. Conover, Waukegon, 11]., assignors to Johnson Brothers Engineering Corporation, Waukegan, 111., a corporation of Indiana Application April 1935, Serial No. 16,332

9 Claim.

This invention relates in general to a plate for retarding the movement of a boat through the waterandhas more particular reference to such a plate in connection witha marineengine of the s outboard motor type.

An important object of the invention is in the provision of a trolling plate which maybe readily applied to and removed from a suitable support.

A further object of the invention is in the prom vision of a trolling plate adapted to be used in connection with an outboard motor having an anticavitation plate. u

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a trolling plate of the design and con- 5 struction herein shown which is quickly applied to and detachable from a conventional type of outboard motor.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, with parts being shown in section, of a trolling plate in accordance with this invention as applied to an outboard motor;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the plate alone; and

plate.

In propelling a small boat particularly for fishing, and the like, a slowmovement is desirable, whereas the normal driving effect of a small engine of the outboard motor type ordinarily re sults in a much more rapid speed of the boat. The present invention therefore relates to a retarding plate which may be quickly and rapidly fastened at the rear of the outboard motor propeller to receive the direct thrust thereof and thereby to divert the water thrust rearwardly, causing a drag on the movement of the boat and resulting in a much slower movement thereof through the water.

Referring now more particularly to the draw mg, a conventional outboard motor of a well known type is shown in Fig. 1, having an under water driving unit 5 with an anticavitation plate 6 extending laterally and from the rear of the unit below the normal plane of immersion thereof.

Below this plate is a propeller 'I located at the rear of the driving unit 5 and normally rotated in a direction to propel the drive unit and the boat to which it is attached in a forward direction or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. The anticavitation plate 6 is usually thinner at the sides and tapers in thickness toward the rear thereof.

A trolling plate 10 of sheet metal is bent or formed to provide a horizontal attaching portion H to overlie the anticavltation plate 6 and with a vertical depending portion I 2 of a length sub- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the under side of the' stantially equal to the diameter of the propeller 1 so that it extends nearly to the lower end thereof.

u The intermediate portion of this plate l0 both in the horizontal and vertical portions thereof is formed with astrengthenlng rib 13 which tapers toward the bottom thereof and the edges it of the sides are curved slightly inward so that the plate is materially strengthened and reinforced by the shape thereof providing a strong and effective retarding element of very light weight. The curved edges H of the horizontalportion I l are adapted to engage closely against the upper face of the anticavltation plate 6 and a holding 'strap I5 is attached at its ends Hi to the under side of the horizontal portion ll of the plate and has offsets l1 adjacent the attached ends which space the intermediate portion of the strap from the adjacent portion of the plate so that it will slide below the anticavltation plate when applied thereto as shown in Fig. 1. In order to hold the trolling plate tightly but releasably in place a stud 20 is inserted into the anticavitatlon plate adjacent the upright portion of the lower driving unit 5 with its head 2| projecting above the anticavitation plate and having a reduced stem 22 extending above the head with an internal collar 23 formed thereon and also spaced slightly above the head 2| to receive an adjacent edge of the trolling plate between the collar 23 and the head 2|. For this purpose the edge of the plate I 0 is provided with a slot 25 which closely embraces the stud extension between the head 2| and the collar 23 and secured to the upper side of the horizontal portion H by fastening means 26 is a spring tongue 21 having a perforation 28 therein to engage theupper reduced end 22 of the stud and having an overlying hooked extension 29 for raising the perforation 28 from engagement with the end 22 of the stud.

The upper end of' the stud is preferably rounded or beveled so that in applying the trolling plate to the antlcavitation plate the horizontal portion I I is simply pressed upon the thin outer end of the anticavitation plate 6 engaging the strap l5. below the plate 6 and continuing such movement until the slot 25 of the edge of the plate engages between the head 2! and the collar 23 at which time the spring finger 2'! will spring up wardly until the hole 28 registers with and engages the extremity 22 of the fastening stud. Thus the trolling plate is held firmly in position and in order to release it from engagement it is necessary only to raise the spring finger 21 by means of the hook 29 until the hole 28 is disengaged from the stud end 22, whereupon the trolling plate is moved rearwardly and is engaged from the anticavitation plate.

With this construction the trolling plate is easily and quickly applied to and removed from the outboardmotor, it is held firmly in place when applied, and it is easily removed without interfering with the operation of the propeller.

we claim:

1. In an outboard motor having an anti-cavitation plate, a removable trolling platetherefor' comprising integral right angled portions, one extending vertically behind and below the first named plate, and the other extending over the top of the first plate and having attached means .to extend under the said first plate.

2. An outboard motor havingan' anti-cavitation plate, a trolling plate therefor havinga strap,

to engage the under side of the plate and fastening means at the upper sides of the plates.

3. An outboard motor having an anti-cavita tion plate and a projection inward from the end thereof, a trolling-plate to engage over the end trolling plate in connection with the motor.

5. A trolling plate for an outboard motor, hav- .ing integral portions at an angle to each' other and a continuous strengthening rib in which the edges of the portions at an angle to each other are curved inwardly at the edges away from the central strengthening rib, the said edges tending to centralize the water flow from the motor.

6. A trolling plate for an outboard motor having normally horizontal and vertical portions with a central continuous strengthening rib, a slot in the horizontal exposed edge, and a spring tongue secured to the horizontal portion, spaced from and overlying the slot and having a perforation in line with the slot and a hook at the end of the tongue by means or which the perforated portion of the tongue may be sprung from the plate.

7. An outboard motor having an anticavitation plate,'a detachable trolling plate having portions at right angles, one portion to engage the anticavitation plate when the other depends behind it, and quickly detachable means comprising a strap at one side and a spring catch at the other side of the trolling plate to attach. the said first portion to the anticavitation plate. V

8. A quickly detachable trolling plate for an outboard motor having a fixed anticavitation plate extending over the top and to the rear of the propeller; said trolling} -'plate having integral portions at right angles, one to extend vertically at the rear of the propeller and the other extending horizontally over the anticavitation plate, and resilient means for attaching the said horizontal portion to an anticavitation plate.

9. A detachable trolling plate for an outboard motor comprising integral right angled portions,

one to extend behind the propeller and the other to extend over the propeller, and resilient means on the said other portion for quickly attaching the plate to the motor.

- HARRY L. JOHNSON.

WARREN C. CONOVER. 

